Filed to story: That Campus Prince Is a Girl
“Grandma. Dad. Mom. Osborne. Reginald. Eric. Dame. Simon. Everyone’s here.”
As for his youngest sister, Nell Saunders, Bradley barely spared her a glance before looking away without acknowledgment.
Still, Nell stood up with a smile. “Brad, you’re back.”
He glanced at her, cold and dismissive.
Nell sat down awkwardly.
Bradley turned to Eric. “Aren’t you supposed to be at school? What are you doing here?”
Eric pressed his lips together. “Brad, don’t play dumb. You know exactly why I’m here.”
Bradley adjusted his glasses and looked toward Reginald. “Aren’t you in the middle of filming?”
Reginald gave him a warm, practiced smile. “I made time.”
Bradley settled into a single-seater armchair. Under the weight of everyone’s stares, he casually lifted a hand. “You want to start, or should I?”
Frederick’s brow furrowed deeply. “Brad, tell me straight. Eric said you’ve fallen for a… boy. Is that true?”
The room visibly stiffened. Everyone’s expression turned to disbelief.
Bradley met his father’s eyes and nodded without hesitation. “Yeah, Dad. It’s true.”
Frederick’s jaw clenched. “What?!”
Beth stared at him, wide-eyed. “Brad, how… how could you possibly be into men?”
Bradley looked at her and replied evenly, “Mom, love has nothing to do with gender.”
Beth was speechless.
Edith Saunders, his grandmother, leaned on her cane and spoke gently, “Brad, sweetheart, you’re a boy. How can you
“Grandma, that kind of thinking is outdated. Times have changed,” Bradley said calmly.
He had prepared himself for this moment a long time ago.
Osborne spoke next, lips tight, “Have we met him?”
Bradley gave Eric a look before shaking his head. “No. You don’t know him.” like boys?”
In truth, the Saunders family had seen Cameron/once, back when they were prepping for the SATS. But Bradley had no intention of dragging Cameron into this mess. Not yet. First, he had to deal with his family.
Only after that would he decide when and how to introduce Cameron to them.
Eric glanced at him but stayed silent.
He had never intended to drag Cameron into this. The problem wasn’t Cameron. It was Bradley.
Bradley’s feelings were the issue.
Even if it wasn’t Cameron, it would’ve been someone else. The core of the problem didn’t change.
So this wasn’t Cameron’s fault.
Reginald, who was no stranger to the diversity of relationships in the entertainment industry, still felt a jolt of surprise. It hit different when it was his com brother.
He said nothing.
Nell let out a long sigh. “Brad, why do you always have to be so stubborn? Do you know how upset Dad, Mom, and Grandma have been because of this?
“Shut up,” Damian snapped, glaring at her. “This has nothing to do with you. Who are you to pass judgment on Brad?”
Nell shrank back, speechless.
Seven-year-old Simon, propped against a cushion, didn’t quite understand what was being discussed, but it all felt very serious.
Frederick’s tone turned harsh. “Brad, I’m telling you right now. I don’t approve. You need to be normal.”
Bradley stared him down. “Define normal. Not being accepted by you makes me abnormal?”
Beth spoke next, her voice pained, “Brad, can’t you just live a normal life? Don’t you want children of your own someday? What about your future
“I don’t need that,” Bradley interrupted. “Mom, there are plenty of sons in the Saunders family. You don’t need me to carry on the name.”
Bradley’s words left the entire Saunders family in silence.
They had seven sons. No one could argue that the family name needed Bradley to carry it on. But still, they had hoped he’d live a so-called “normal” life.
“Brad…” Beth started to speak, but the rest of her words never came.
Bradley remained composed. His gaze swept slowly across the room. “There’s no need to try to change my mind. Don’t waste your breath opposing me either. It won’t make a difference. And if you really can’t accept it, then just pretend I’m not your son.”
With that, he stood up and walked out of the living room.
“Brad!” Damian called, chasing after him.
Frederick’s face darkened. “He thinks he’s grown up now. He doesn’t need anyone telling him what to do!” He was furious.
Osborne frowned too. To him, Brad had always seemed like the quiet, obedient type. He never expected this level of defiance.
Reginald, on the other hand, remained calm. He understood Brad wasn’t actually trying to cut ties. This was his way of forcing their hand, cornering the family until they had no choice but to accept it.
Eric let out a long breath.
He’d expected Bradley to tone it down in front of their parents, maybe soften his stance. But instead, he had one all in, no hesitation, no retreat.
‘Is he really willing to go this far for Cameron? Willing to risk losing everything?”
Nell scoffed, “Are you seriously going to let him go through with this? I mean, come on. It’s disgusting.”
Simon glared at her. “Brad’s not disgusting. You are.”
Nell whipped her head around and glared at Simon.
Edith turned to Frederick and Beth. “So? What are you two going to do?”
Frederick answered firmly, “Absolutely not. We can’t just let him do whatever he wants.”
Nell jumped in eagerly. “Dad, I heard there’s this kind of hypnosis that can-“
“Brad,” Damian called, catching up to him outside.
Bradley was leaning on the roof of his car, face blank under the night sky.
“If you’re here to talk me out of it, don’t bother,” he said without looking over. “If you’re here to give me your blessing, thanks.”
Damian sighed. “I get where you’re coming from. I do. But that line about ‘just pretend I’m not your son… wasn’t that a bit much?”
“I meant every word,” Bradley said simply.
Damian fell silent.
Bradley pulled open the driver’s side door. “Go home, Dame. You’ve got school, surgeries, rounds. Don’t waste your energy on my drama. Get some sleep.”
Damian shrugged. “I’m managing.”
Bradley fastened his seatbelt and started the engine.
“Brad, be safe,” Damian said.
Bradley nodded. “Yeah.”
“I don’t mean the driving,” Damian added. “I mean with… him.”
Bradley didn’t respond. He hit the gas, and the car roared off into the night.
He didn’t go back to Viremont, for it was too late. Instead, he stayed at a private property he owned in Steerfall.
Bradley reached for his phone, fingers hesitating over Cameron’s name.
But after a moment, he put it down.
‘Knowing Mom and Dad, they’re probably dying to find out who I like. Better not contact him for now.’
Meanwhile, Cameron and the girls had arrived at the campsite and met up with Elijah and his roommates.
